Insurance Underwriters Salary
Insurance Underwriters in Kentucky make a median of $79,830 a year, or about $38.38 an hour. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $139K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.23), which stretches that salary to about $88,474 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,110/month, or 21.2% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Kentucky. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $80K get you in Kentucky?
About insurance underwriters
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What this looks like in Kentucky
Insurance underwriters pay in Kentucky tracks closely to the national median, $80K locally vs. $81K nationwide, a 2% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,110/month, 21.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.23 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kentucky
Entry-level insurance underwriters (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $80K. Top earners bring in $139K or more, a $92K spread from bottom to top.
Insurance Underwriters salary by metro in Kentucky
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington-Fayette | $101K | +27% | 290 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $76K | -4% | 430 |
Compare to other states
Track insurance underwriters salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Kentucky numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a insurance underwriter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kentucky?
Yes — at the median salary of $80K, rent takes 21.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,110/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for insurance underwriters in Kentucky?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new insurance underwriters typically earn — is $47K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,793/month. At HUD’s $1,110/month FMR, rent would take 40% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is insurance underwriter a high-paying job in Kentucky?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $80K locally vs. $81K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Kentucky compare to the national average for insurance underwriters?
Kentucky pays $80K median vs. the U.S. average of $81K — that’s -2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.23), the purchasing-power equivalent is $88K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do insurance underwriters make in Kentucky?
The median is $79,830 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $46,550, and experienced insurance underwriters can clear $138,670. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $80K enough to live in Kentucky?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,113/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,110/month, which eats 21.7% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a insurance underwriters salary go in Kentucky?
Kentucky has a Regional Price Parity of 90.23 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median insurance underwriters salary is worth about $88,474 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do insurance underwriters get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.